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Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design
14, bldg. 5A, Bersenevskaya Embankment Moscow,
119072, Russia
more@strelka.com
+7 (495) 771 74 37
+7 (495) 771 74 16 (Bar Strelka)
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Strelka Institute in December 2009. © Sergei Leontiev
The idea of Strelka was conceived simultaneously by five people: Alexander Mamut, Sergei Adonyev, Ilya Oskolkov-Tsentsiper, Dmitry Likin and Oleg Shapiro. Three years ago they devised to create a school which would be the first step towards the transformation of Russian cities.
This required a multifunctional institution. One that would not only be a place of study for architects, but would also become a cradle for ideas, strategies and meanings.
And this is what Strelka turned out to be.
Its lecture halls provide free tuition for student architects, designers, sociologists, economists and other specialists from around the world. Its courtyard hosts open lectures, conferences and film screenings. Its bar is a complex cocktail of musicians, editors, actors, television presenters and other representatives of the creative class.
The end product which is being cooked up in this cauldron is very intricate. It is not only the graduates, their projects and the evolution of their views that occurs during the educational process. It is a landscape. A landscape and its transformation. A landscape in its widest possible sense: physical, mental, emotional. So if a Strelka graduate devises a new modern approach to the construction of standard housing and this results in appealing, comfortable and affordable houses appearing in Russian cities, this will be our product. A student who attends a lecture on urban studies and is inspired to create a beautiful lawn outside his or her apartment is also our product.
Strelka has been conceived in a completely unique way, so as not to confine its product within its walls. In contrast to the majority of educational institutions, which are inward-looking, Strelka is a place entirely open to the outside world. Everything that happens here immediately spills out into the city in the form of projects, people and ideas. And the city reciprocates.

Strelka Institute in July 2010. © Sergei Leontiev

© Sergei Leontiev
Strelka Institute offers a free postgraduate programme taught in English. The education strategy is based on cross-disciplinary research of urban problems. We are convinced that in order to be able to improve urban landscape, one should not only be familiar with structural mechanics and descriptive geometry, but also understand urban psychology, sociological models and economic trends. That’s why the educational programme is aimed at all kinds of young professionals — architects, sociologists, designers, managers, economists, and others, the main prerequisite being the desire to change urban environment for the better.
The year is divided into two terms. For nine months, Students immerse themselves into creative (rather than purely academic) research, maintaining a constant dialogue with the best professionals in various fields of knowledge. This helps them broaden horizons and get acquainted with ideas that they have probably never been familiar with before, but which are necessary for their future work.
The first term consists of intensive lectures, discussions and seminars. The students get acquainted with the research themes of the year. At the end of the first term, all students go on a field trip. In 2011 it was Tokyo, Hong Kong the year before that. On their return to Moscow, students choose one research theme for their second-term personal project. They are also free to choose the format of the project: it can be an installation, or a book, or a video game, etc.
The second term is devoted to individual research projects that students work on under their professors’ supervision. Developing communication skills is another key aspect of the second term. Students learn not only how to gather, organise and analyse data, but also how to present their conclusions to the public. In late June, students’ projects are presented to the professors, media, and the public.
Please download the syllabus here.
November 25—3, 2011

25, 26 November, 3 December
White Chambers Cultural Centre, 1 Prechistenka Street, Moscow
The Moscow Cultural Heritage Department (Moskomnaslediye) and the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design are launching a programme of public discussions under the heading of Watchmen: The Future of Historical Heritage. The programme is dedicated to the preservation of Moscow’s historical heritage and its integration into the modern life of the city.
Historical monuments bring both benefits and problems to a modern city. On the one hand, they attract tourists and evoke in citizens a sense of affection for their city. On the other hand, monuments that are not utilized in any way are often too expensive to maintain, while attempts to blend ancient relics into modern life cause arguments and protests from the public. How do we preserve our cultural heritage? Where do we draw the line between restoration and virtual destruction? Can we validly «update» cultural heritage sites? How do we make historic buildings «work» without provoking a conflict between the time-honored form and the modern substance? These and many other questions will be answered by the panelists and experts as part of the planned programme of discussions.
The main purpose of the programme is to create a platform for discussion by experts, journalists, government officials and the general public of the most burning issues related to the protection and restoration of Moscow’s heritage sites.
The discussions will include leading Russian experts in the fields of cultural heritage protection, history, urban planning and architecture as well as their international colleagues, including amongst others Terje Nypan (Norway), Sergei Kapkov, Yuri Grigoryan, Alexander Kibovsky, Natalia Dushkina, Alexei Novikov, Flip ten Cate (Netherlands), Andrei Batalov, Alexei Muratov.
The forums will be held in the famous White Chambers on Prechistenka. The genius loci, or the spirit of the place, should act as a guide in finding the right tone for the discussions: the Chambers, built in 1685 by Prince Prozorovsky and restored in 1995, represent a rare example of effective use of an architectural monument. The Chambers have recently passed into the management of the Department, which intends to use the building as a permanent platform for discussion of current issues related to Moscow’s cultural heritage.
The programme will consist of two rounds. The first (November 25-26) is dedicated to the economy, legislation, and urban planning policy. The second round, scheduled for December 3, will deal with issues related to the restoration of Moscow’s cultural heritage.
First round of discussions, November 25-26
Preserving without destroying: the economic, political and management aspects
This round will involve discussions on the economic aspects of heritage protection, compliance with Russian and international legislation related to architectural monuments, and urban planning policy in the context of Moscow as a cultural centre.
Second round of discussions, December 3
Who should decide the fate of monuments: the government, the proprietor or the architect?
The round is devoted to the issue of monument restoration and the attendant successes and failures. One of the key issues will be how a heritage building’s fate is influenced by its proprietor or tenant. Moscow’s best restoration projects will be presented as part of this round.
Discussion Law, Society or the State: Which is the Guardian of Historical Heritage?
November 26, 2011, 12—14:00
Discussion Development of Moscow’s historic centre: problems and perspectives
November 26, 2011, 15—17:00

In the academic year of 2010-2011, the first 33 students worked on research projects within the bounds of one of five themes: Preservation, Energy, Thinning, Design, and Public Space. The process was curated by 15 tutors and resulted in research products of various formats, ranging from a documentary to a performance. In late June 2011, the research projects were presented to the public.
Strelka’s president Ilya Oskolkov-Tsentsiper explains the essence of education at the institute:
«I think that the main objective of a year at Strelka Institute is to take on tasks that are so significant, complicated and ambitious that you can hardly come across them in real life. However, when finally you find a solution to this or that absolute problem, you can then apply it to easier, more down-to-earth, more commercial problems. This is what education at Strelka is based on».
In 2011, the following people graduated from Strelka Institute:
Alena Lanina, Anastasia Albokrinova, Anastasia Chernyshova, Andrei Goncharov, Anna Butenko, Anna Shevchenko, Anna Trapkova, Anton Ivanov, Daria Nuzhnaya, Daria Paramonova, Daria Syuzeva, Denis Leontiev, Evgenia Nedosekina, Gleb Vitkov, Ivan Kuryachiy, Ivan Solomin, Jezi Stankevich, Karina Bunyatova, Kuba Snopek, Maria Gulieva, Merve Yucel, Minkoo Kang, Naina Gupta, Natalia Zaychenko, Oleg Semakin, Olga Khokhlova, Pavel Geichenko, Sergey Shoshin, Shi Yang, Tamara Muradova, Victoria Kudryavtseva, Xenia Makarova, Yefim Freidine.

© Sergei Leontiev
Bar Strelka is a project of Strelka Institute and a comfortable urban space.
The eclectic interior comprises elements of art deco, and Italian and Scandinavian designs of the 1960’s and 70’s.
The guests are offered an extensive cocktail list and an international menu created by the chefs Nathan Dallimore and Natalie Horsting.
At weekends, one can listen to DJs or jazz music played on an antique J. Becker piano. In summertime, there is a rooftop terrace with a unique view of the Moscow River and Christ the Saviour Cathedral.
All the profits of the bar go to support Strelka Institute.
From Monday till Friday the bar is open from 9 a.m, at weekends—from 12 p.m. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays we close at midnight, while on Fridays and Saturdays the parties go on until 5 a.m. the next day.
Follow Strelka at
April 23, 2012, 12:44 • >students’ research
Unlike the rest of the research themes, which are focused on Moscow, the students of Hinterland are looking into the subject of Russia as a whole.
Tihana Vucic
"My project, called Warming of Russia, is an attempt to examine the outcomes of climate change. It also tries to reach to the past to better understand the specific mindset (if there is any) that led to this point. The analysis presented at the midterm review is the beginning of my research on how climate related issues will concern Russia in the coming years, what will be lost and what can be gained."
Gustavo Cabanez

"BRICX is an approach to research of the global hinterland in which we find Russia (the largest country in the world and the largest hinterland) with a group of countries that are part of a mega-diverse group. BRIC is a definition of a theoretical union without any kind of specific economic or political agenda. BRICX is, therefore, not an economic concept; it is an attempt to understand the biodiversity of the world.
X is: As ten years from today — a time lapse that allows to understand our recent past and to see our close future, 2001-2011-2021. As a variable that can be changed, BRIC'S' for example with South Africa, BRIC'M' with Mexico or BRIC'K' with South Korea. The cross is an effort to put Russia on a global hinterland map."
Ekaterina Pavlenko
"At first, my research was a description of how hinterland is connected with the rest of Russia and the world; it looked into the idea of networks, created by the food distribution system. After the midterm review it has changed a bit into a broader focus on how the Russian periphery is dependent in various ways on different institutions, and the administrative logic of the state here is of great interest to me."
Elena Arkhipova
"My project is called Cooperation. Potential for Russia. When we talk about the problems of hinterland, we mention that people are leaving the villages due to poor infrastructure, lack of jobs and future prospects, but along with these reasons, we should also mention that there is no social network in rural areas, which would allow people stay there. In my research, I explore the meaning and condition of local communities across the country, the non-governmental sector, and broader — the civil society in the Russian hinterland."
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